Archive for the ‘College and Career Ready’ Category

Meet Tabitha Kertamus, a senior at Jordan High School, who was interviewed recently about her plans for life after high school.

On a scale from 1-10 (with 1 being ‘not at all’ and 10 being ‘totally’), how prepared do you feel to start college and/or a career?On a scale of 1-10, I sit at a solid 6 with how prepared I feel to start college and/or a career. I have applied to several colleges, and was accepted to all of them. The problem is, now I have to make a choice, and I have no idea what to do. It’s hard to decide when all people important to me have different opinions on what I should do. I definitely am not ready for a career yet, though hopefully college will help with that.

Counselors offer many opportunities to help students apply and pay for college. Tell about any of these opportunities you took advantage of, and how they helped you.The counselors are especially helpful to students. I have taken the opportunity to personally sit down with my counselor and talk about my college plans. Counselors are there for us, and they have programs like FAFSA Fridays, where students go into the counseling center during lunch on Fridays and they work on their FAFSA forms. My counselor encourages me to do what I want to and wants me to be successful. Counselors also keep track of what colleges students have been accepted to and they are willing to help us reach a decision. I’ve had my counselor help me look for scholarships so I can apply for them. They’re very helpful.

What advice would you give counselors and teachers to help them ensure that students learn about life after high school?Teachers and counselors try their best to get students involved with preparation for college. The problem is a lot of students hear the same stuff from everybody. So we don’t listen when they try to help. They try assemblies, but a lot of kids see it as a way out of class, and they just leave the school. I think they need to be more enthusiastic and really encourage students to participate. They need to find new and more information about college that won’t scare us away. They need to have more mandatory college activities for students. A big help would be to offer field trips to college campuses for those who would like to attend the college.

What’s the one best piece of advice regarding college and career decision making that you would offer to your fellow students?My advice is to do what makes you happy. If you want to go out of state, who cares what anyone else thinks? It’s your life, not theirs! A bird can’t have other birds spread its wings for it. You don’t have to make a decision on a career right away, but definitely start college as soon as possible. Go to school while you’re still in the groove of it, and definitely go where you’ll be happiest. Happiness is the key to a magnificent life.

Are you tired of spending a lot of time and energy trying to change the past? Here are some suggestions that may help you move forward:

Make a conscious choice to move forward. Start by listing the pros and cons of dwelling in the past. You may notice after making your list that the cons far outweigh the pros and therefore you will make the choice to move on.

Limit the time you allow yourself to dwell on the past. For example you may want to set aside 10-15 minutes a day to think about the past. You may find that you are getting bored/tired of dwelling on the past and move forward as a result.

Check the reality of your situation. Things may never be exactly the same again but that doesn’t mean you can’t move forward with new people and experiences in your life.

Clarify your values. Perhaps you have lost someone in a relationship or lost a job. In restating your values you may come to realize that you don’t need the same individual and/or job to make you happy and you can move to your new chapter in life.

Enjoy the moment. Create new experiences for yourself; e.g., join a club, take up a hobby, etc. Focusing on the present and the future will help you to move on!

In April, the 4th Annual Aviation Open House was held at the SkyWest Hangar at the Salt Lake City International Airport. This event was planned and organized by the Aeronautics Education Advisory Board led by Donna Lloyd of Granite School District. This was an excellent opportunity for students interested in an Aviation career to meet with colleges, flight schools, and businesses to learn how to prepare for their future career. Hundreds of students and their families attended the open house where they:

Toured the Airport Flight Control Tower. Conducting a flight in a flight simulator.

Detected all of the large equipment used to care for the runways.

Watched planes land and take off.

Visited with the Airport Fire Department personnel and observed their vehicles.

It was a fascinating day and everyone who attended expressed how impressed they were by the day’s events, and with the information they received. A letter was written to Sherry Marchant, Work-Based Learning Specialist at the Utah State Office of Education that expressed one attendees thoughts of the day.

“We attended (the Aviation Open House) with my son, who has dreamed of being a pilot for as long as I can remember. He is entering 9th grade in the fall, so it was the perfect opportunity to speak with those in the know about what he needs to concentrate on in high school. It was a great day!” said Toni Thayn.

We want to thank all of the businesses that participated in this event. Cornerstone Aviation, Leading Edge Aviation, Salt Lake Community College Aviation, University of Utah Atmospheric Sciences, Utah State Aviation, Utah Valley Aviation, Westminster Aviation, Jordan School District Aviation, Granite School District Aviation, Canyons School District, Boeing, TAC Air, ATK, Delta Airlines, Duncan Aviation, Airport Operations Fire Department, Airport Operations Police Unit, Airport Operations Bomb Squad, Air Force ROTC, Utah Air National Guard, Air Force Association, FAA/ATC-TRACON, Mountain America Credit Union, and SkyWest Airlines for their generous use of their Airport Hangar for our event.

Save the date for the 5th Annual Aviation Open House that will held in the spring of 2015. We hope to see many more students and their families take advantage of all this event has to offer.

As per the recent message in this publication (“STEM 101,” April 2014), there is no universally agreed-upon definition of STEM. For the purposes of this month’s highlight, however, we’re focusing on occupations identified as STEM by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). BLS looked at occupations in six broad groups from the Standard Occupational Classification Manual: 1) Management; 2) Computer and Mathematics; 3) Architecture and Engineering; 4) Life, Physical, and Social Sciences; 5) Education, Training, and Library; and 6) Sales and Related. (Though Healthcare occupations are commonly included in STEM, BLS offers a separate analysis of that sector, to be shared in a later edition of this newsletter.) From the full list of 100 STEM occupations* in these groups, here are the top three occupations projected to have the most job openings nationally 2012-2022:

*See Table 1 in the Occupational Outlook Quarterly – with source cited as “2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System, SOC Policy Committee recommendation to the Office of Management and Budget. Healthcare occupations are not included.” Source of Utah data in these tables is the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

In the following table are three occupations from the BLS list that you can typically enter with less than a Bachelor’s degree, and that will grow much faster than average through 2022 (a percent of current employment; average growth rate across all occupations is 11 percent):

You will notice that “Computer User Support Specialists” appears on both lists. The fact that this is an occupation that employs large numbers of workers, and that it is growing at almost twice the average rate, bodes well for students prepared for entry.For comparison: twenty percent of the 658,500 Computer User Support Specialists is 131,700 – significantly more than twenty percent of the 169,900 (33,980) Web Developers.

In addition to the technical skills foundation required in STEM occupations, workers must also have critical and creative thinking skills, and strong communication skills – technical writing, public speaking, and interpersonal communication. You can start developing technical, thinking, and communication skills while still in high school. Whether your career interests lead to a STEM career, or any other, a high school program of study that includes participation in a CTE Pathwayof interest to you will help you succeed.

Wade Titus, a senior at Roy High School in Weber School District, participated in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Internship at JD Machine in Ogden, Utah where he became fascinated with the precision machining and fabrication of component parts. JD Machine is a world-class manufacturer of high value machined parts, sheet metal components and complex assemblies—utilizing the most advanced manufacturing technologies and equipment. Wade’s career goal is to become a successful biomedical engineer. This CTE Internship has assisted Wade in becoming college and career ready and he is now one-step closer to achieving his career goal. Wade tells about his experience at JD Machine.

“The great beast of what has become the world trade market has boomed because of what happens in these amazing shops. There are lathes and mills taking off thousandths of an inch, slowly shaping a product that you will be using tomorrow. Things as simple as a pen are machined by 2 ton machines that are more precise than a practiced brain surgeon in their operations. I am glad that during my last semester of school I decided to participate in a CTE Internship and to be involved in this importantly beautiful and precise industry. I am working in the delivery room of the future!

“Computers, airplanes, cars, phones, x-rays, desk chairs, stoves, microwaves, couches, houses, buildings, tools, surgical knives, missiles, tanks, and guns. Everything is machined. Precision products made by hulking masses of metal, intricately moving and scooping away material. Spindles and saws work without stop, humming and buzzing, slowly etching out the components to products we use every day in our lives. The machine shop is the delivery room of the future. Its mills and lathes transform crude blocks and bars into immaculate works of art. Each created so precisely a hairs difference could disqualify it from duty. In essence, the machinist is the creator of all that is and will be, operating the machines that create futures and innovates this world for the betterment of humans. Every measurement must be right. Every rhythmic pass of the endmill calculated to exactness.

“As I have worked with JD Machine I have begun to learn the basics of this great art that runs the world. I never noticed how many things get machined, or have a machined component part in them. Yet, without this seemingly miniscule, pathetic piece, the whole object would be rendered useless. It has truly amazed me what manufacturing has become. It’s not a factory with assembly line upon assembly line of mindless droning workers putting screws into holes, while making minimum wage. Instead, it’s precision machines operated by precision men and women learning and implementing lines of programs to make amazingly exact parts for our every day needs. This industry has truly sped up the progression of technology. These machines are capable of making thousands of clones of a part. These parts are made out of metals and plastics that most of us haven’t heard of like 410 stainless steel and aluminum-nickel-bronze. Working at JD Machine has made me question how anything was made before we had this great miracle of the modern machine shop.”

Assemblers and fabricators assemble finished products and the parts that go into them. They use tools, machines, and their hands to make numerous products. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012 the median annual wage for assemblers and fabricators was $28,580. *

Caid Lunt, a junior at Weber High School, has a career goal to work in the Information Technology industry—digital media/multimedia. Caid recently participated in a CTE Internship at Weber State University in the Multimedia Services department where he developed his skills in graphics and animation. Through this internship experience Caid is preparing for college and career!

“My CTE Internship experience in the Multimedia Services department at Weber State University has been a great learning and eye-opening experience. I have been able to learn and enhance my skills towards narrowing down career options. My talents in graphics have been greatly improved. I have been working with [the Multimedia Services department] to master the program of Adobe After Effects, as well as other Adobe products to develop a greater knowledge, and capability for being able to design motion graphics and animation. This internship also focuses on other sides of media, such as video production. I have been given multiple opportunities with hands-on experience doing camera operating and editing. This has boosted my experience and capabilities to get a feel for what the real world of multimedia is like. This experience has taken my level of skill with multimedia to new levels.

“My main focus during this internship is graphics and creating animation. I have a real interest in this field, and I really enjoy it. Colby, my main mentor, has helped me reach limits I never thought possible with After Effects. He has taught me skills, as well as introduced me to tutorials to increase my knowledge and ability to produce graphics. He has also taught me to push myself to try new things and learn new strategies for sparking creativity. Before this internship, I was barely able to use After Effects and now I am able to produce simple but intricate graphic designs.

“I am also learning more about the field of producing videos. Weber State University [produces] a wide variety of videos, so I have been able to learn to scrub though old and new types of footage to be used for campus projects. I am also getting experience with operating cameras, as well as devices, such as Phantom GoPro helicopters, and Glide-Cams. I am getting hands-on experience with what multimedia consists of on a daily basis and building my experience portfolio.

“This internship has helped me define my career path. I look forward to [participating in another] CTE Internship my senior year in the multimedia field. This internship has expanded my skill set and prepared me for my future career.”

Caid is involved in HOSA—Future Health Professionals—and recently competed in the HOSA State competition in the Public Service Announcement (PSA) event. His PSA highlighted child hunger prevention and featured the service project at Weber Weekend Food Packs—a program to help feed hungry kids on the weekends. His public service announcement took first place at the competition and can be viewed HERE.

Caid has been awarded an $80,000 scholarship to Westminster College where he will study Information Technology in the area of digital media/multimedia.

Work-Based Learning lets students see how classroom instruction connects to the world of work and future career opportunities. If you’re interested in participating in a CTE Internship talk to the Work-Based Learning Coordinator at your school.

Broadcasting, or “mass communication,” consists of radio, television, satellite, webcasts and all sorts of evolving channels designed to reach people all over the world. Careers range from sports announcer to set designer to video editor and more. Filmmaking is a specialized aspect of broadcasting. Whether you view films in a theater, on TV, or via Netflix, filmmaking consists of three phases:

Preproduction – preparatory phase during which scripts are written, financing is secured, cast and crew are hired, and locations are selected.

Production – this phase includes everything related to filming, such as lighting and sound set ups, selection of camera angles, scene rehearsals, and recording of video and audio.

Postproduction – film footage is edited, sound/visual effects are added, and audio tracks are mixed and then combined with film footage.

Actors, producers and directors are the most readily identified occupations associated with broadcasting and filmmaking, but the behind-the-scenes workers are equally important and numerous. This table includes information about a selected few.

“After taking a CTE course, TV Broadcasting and Digital Media, I took interest in filming and editing short commercial clips for our school, which is what motivated me to look into the film production field. The CTE courses I have taken gave me an idea of what is expected for such a career. It also taught me how to work with various programs and to be able to adjust to the different technology. Without taking these CTE courses I probably would not have discovered my new interests in digital media, which motivated me to choose the career and degree I now strive for. . .The CTE courses I took opened new opportunities for me and has broadened my horizon in ways I could have never expected.” says Kristine Bucasas, 2013 graduate of Wasatch High School, CTE Scholarship recipient, and future film producer/editor.

Sage Thompson, a senior at Fremont High School in Weber School District, wants to become a doctor of veterinarian medicine. To learn more about this career she participated in a CTE Internship at Farr West Animal Hospital, where she assisted Dr. Bailey with the animals in the hospital. “Seeing Dr. Bailey work on animals and figure out what is wrong with them, and [determine] what is the best way for that animal to get better, has helped me to understand what I want to do with my life. I think now I want to work with more small animals rather than large animals,” says Sage.

At Fremont High School, Sage is taking the Veterinarian Assistant class where she is exploring different avenues of the veterinary profession. In the class she has learned the anatomy, physiology, chemistry, dentistry, health, and disease of animals. Along with learning laboratory procedures, she has also developed skills in the areas of surgical assisting, bandaging, wound care, oral care, and general nursing care of animals.

Sage describes her experience at Farr West Animal Hospital, “I’ve learned so much about what vets do on a daily bases. I love being able to help take care of animals and helping them feel better. Going to the clinic in scrubs, [professionally dressed like] the vet techs and the vet, makes me feel so much closer to my goal of becoming a doctor of veterinarian medicine. Knowing that after many years of school I can go to work doing something I love and also knowing that I can help animals become healthy again is a great feeling. With being in the clinic for a few months now I have learned many great things I need to know about becoming a vet.”

As part of the CTE Internship at Farr West Animal Hospital, Sage has had the opportunity use the skills she developed in the Veterinarian Assistant class at Fremont High School. “I love being able to understand what the vet techs and vet are talking about. Knowing all the terms for being a vet makes it so much easier to intern in a vet clinic.”

CTE Internships provide on-the-job training opportunities that are directly related to a career goal and course of study identified through a College and Career Plan. This Work-Based Learning experience is designed to bridge the gap between school and work. If you’re interested in participating in a CTE Internship talk to the Work-Based Learning Coordinator at your school.

Throughout my high school education, I have not participated in anything as life changing as the [Work-Based Learning] CTE Internship. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do for my senior internship, but there were so many options—Smith Optics, Body Tune, Fresenius, UDOT, and the list goes on. At first, Smith Optics was high on my list, but then Mr. Meyer (Work-Based Learning Coordinator) called me one day asking if I wanted to checkout a brand new 3D design company calledWhiteclouds. I was thrilled to hear of this as a possible outlook for my internship. Mr. Meyer and I set up a date to visit, but we had no idea what was in store. When I walked in the front door and into the showroom, I was blown away. Complex enigmatic mathematical objects surrounded by multicolored skulls upon intricate busts of video game characters andSteampunk creatures. I was absolutely perplexed by the grandeur of the space! At that very moment, I knew that this was the place.

A few days later I was formally listed as an Intern at Whiteclouds. My first day was not what I had anticipated. I arrived at 9:00 a.m. and was tasked with designing two parts. I reengineered both parts in 2 hours and showed them to my mentor, Jess. She was surprised with my capabilities and was happy to give me another assignment of equal or greater difficulty the following session. My very first product project was to reengineer another part. This part was much more difficult and complex. Once I finished with this product, I was informed that my part would be sold on the Whitecloudswebsite! Upon hearing this news Jess announced that I would be in charge of designing a series of Steampunk parts for Comic Con! Within a week of working at Whiteclouds I was given a product line of my own. My imagination ran free and I wrote down a list of items I could create. For inspiration, Jess introduced me to a website name “Thingiverse.” This website had so many gadgets and gizmos it was incomprehensible. I frequently visit this site now to find inspiration for my designs.

One of my favorite days was the day Jerry Ropelato, CEO of Whiteclouds, came in to establish a design methodology/design process. I contributed to the best of my ability and impressed Mr. Ropelato with a series of design process options. My background in engineering played a major role in my contributions to the methodology. Once we decided upon our structure and labels of each section the Whiteclouds Methodology was established. Mr. Meyer could not have found a better place for me to intern.

I have had an unbelievable time at Whiteclouds and can’t wait to go to Comic Con to show off our capabilities. If my fate keeps me in Utah, I hope to return to Whiteclouds with another perspective to 3D Printing, Prosthetic Development.

Work-Based Learning lets students see how classroom instruction connects to the world of work and future career opportunities. If you’re interested in participating in a CTE Internship talk to the Work-Based Learning Coordinator at your school.

Successful workers in these occupations are organized, detail-oriented, and must be able to communicate effectively with other professionals and with their clients. As with most occupations, on-the-job training (OJT) and experience, and additional education, give workers an advantage in developing their skills and expertise. Browse UtahFutures for detailed occupational information.